by L. M. Reid
I tug her into the open door next to us – an empty patient room.
The second I let her arm go she begins to pace. “It all makes sense now. Why you came back, why you sought me out that night. I… I… I can’t believe I am so stupid. You were just fucking me to get back at your father.”
“No,” I say adamantly.
“I trusted you. I...” I reach for her but she pulls away. “Don’t touch me.”
“You know me better than this. You know how I feel about you, what you mean to me.”
“I thought I did.” The disdain that laces her voice makes my stomach churn.
“The truth is, yes, I came here to take down my father, destroy him the way he destroyed her. But, you? You were never a part of that. You were…”
“Shut up. Just shut up,” she yells.
“You were unexpected and everything I ever wanted in life. You were never a part of my plan. In fact, you’re the reason I never went through with it. I quit giving a damn about revenge, Ash, I only gave a damn about you. You have to believe me.”
“I don’t have to do a damn thing except get the hell out of here.”
“Ashlynn, please. Stop. Where are you going?”
She stops, dead in her tracks and stares at me. “Anywhere you aren’t.”
40
Ashlynn
The sound of my heels clicking on the tile floor is deafening. Each step is faster than the last until I am almost running.
God, I am such an idiot. I can’t believe I actually fell for his bullshit. I’m smarter than that. It was that damn look in his eyes, the one that I swore meant we shared a connection; an unexplainable, undefinable, amazing connection. I thought that maybe I was wrong. Maybe Logan Miller wasn’t the only good guy out there. Maybe Grayson, underneath his smug and controlling demeanor, was one of the good ones too.
He was good alright; good at being a manipulator, an asshole, and a liar.
Nope. Grayson West is just another man. One that I don’t need in my life.
I reach the car and get in. I need to get out of here. I turn on the engine and look into the rearview mirror. I can see Grayson walking out of the hospital in search of me. He got what he wanted, revenge against his father with a side of sex mixed in, so why the hell is he following me? I check to ensure no one is around and tear out of the parking lot at top speed, leaving Grayson and my heart in the dust.
I drive toward home. Until I realize that well, I don’t have a home anymore. There is a house that I share with Elliott, but based on what I just heard that’s not exactly somewhere I want to go right now either. I pound my fist on the wheel, the stinging of my hand still not dulling the one in my heart.
Jesus, what have I gotten myself into? Not only was I taken in by one man, but by two. Walking away from Grayson was hard. Knowing that I have to walk into a future with Elliott, that is even harder. I swat the tear that falls away as I realize what Brayden’s words really mean. Elliott made Grayson partner, not me. He never intended for me to be partner, only his arm candy or whatever the hell our arrangement is.
The similarities between what Grayson told me about the relationship between his mother and Elliott and the one between me and Elliott is starting to hold some gravity. He reeled me in, make me need him and now he is stripping me of everything. I choke back a sob realizing that there is at least one thing Grayson was honest about – Elliott’s trying to turn me into Elizabeth. He’s trying to make me his trophy wife. He is taking away everything I worked for and leaving me completely dependent on him.
Fuck.
With nowhere else to go, I drive to Cahill and Cahill. It’s the closest thing I have to a home, at least for the time being. It’s the only place where I feel safe, at least for now, until Grayson takes that away from me too.
With tear-stained cheeks and wrinkled clothes I make my way to my office. As I do, I see my co-workers stare at me, confusion on their faces at the typically ballsy attorney who has been reduced to an emotional disaster. Their stares are the final straw in my demise and I burst into laughter once I am safe in my office. How the mighty have fallen. And fall I did. It was less than twenty-four hours ago that my heart was so light and so full for the first time in my life, then just as quickly Brayden’s words took all that away.
I am just a pawn in Grayson’s game. Was a pawn. Grayson is no longer a part of my life, not professionally and certainly not personally. He didn’t love me, he used me. He is guilty of the same thing he accused his father of doing. He might try to convince himself that he’s better than Elliott, but now that I know the truth, see who he really is, I know better.
“You look like hell,” Elliott says as he enters my office uninvited.
The sound of his voice grates on my nerves. Fucking asshole. But he’s an asshole that I need. One that I am now more than ever dependent on. No, I have to fall in line, be what Elliott wants me to be. It’s the only way I know how to survive.
“I feel like it, too,” I reply.
“What happened?” Elliott asks. And for a split second I actually think he cares. Then it dawns on me. He doesn’t care what I was doing; he just wants to make sure I was behaving.
I am so sick of the lies that I opt for the truth this time. “I was with Grayson.”
“Grayson? Why?” His voice is laced with suspicion and confusion with just a hint of anger behind it. It’s as though it finally dawned on him that putting me with his extremely sexy son might not have been such a good idea.
I contemplate my words. Despite the fact that Grayson used me, that I don’t owe him a damn thing, I can’t help the small part of me that doesn’t want to do anything that would hurt him. Telling Elliott about his mother would definitely hurt Grayson.
Survival of the fittest I remind myself. Grayson seemingly had no qualms about how his little plot would affect me, why should I care?
“We were working last night when he received a call about his mother. I went with him to the hospital because I didn’t think he should be alone,” I admit. It’s true; except for the reason we were actually together. But that isn’t going to do me any good to admit. If anything it would only make things worse. And frankly, they’re bad enough already, aren’t they?
“What’s wrong with Elizabeth?” Elliott asks with not an iota of concern in his voice.
“She had a heart attack. Grayson stayed by her bedside all night. I stayed until Brayden got there, just in case.”
He shakes his head. “What a shame.”He says the words, but there’s no emotion behind them. He sounds so cold and uncaring. And he hasn’t even asked how his sons are.
Knowing full well there are always two sides to every story, curiosity gets the best of me. “What happened between you two?” I ask. “Why did things end?”
“Because the woman was crazy. Literally and figuratively.”
His blasé attitude makes me cringe. In the least she’s the mother of his children, yet he seems utterly unaffected by it.
“Are you ready for court tomorrow?” Elliott asks.
The quick about face in conversation damn near gives me whiplash. Is he kidding right now? His children are hurting, his ex-wife is on her death bed, and all he’s concerned about is getting Ivan Cole set free?
“I’m always ready for court,” I respond.
“Good. Make sure to get ahold of Grayson, he needs to be there tomorrow,” Elliott says.
“I can handle it on my own,” I argue.
Elliott laughs and the sound grates on my last nerve. “Make sure Grayson is there,” he repeats as he heads out of the room.
41
Grayson
I throw the phone across the room. The sound of his voice while I’m standing here watching my mother on her death bed is the final straw in this shitty week.
His message calling and telling me he is sorry to hear about my mother then in the next breath demanding that I show up in court tomorrow, fucking bullshit.
“Yikes,” Daphne yells as the pho
ne smashes on the wall next to the door she just walked through. “What the hell, Gray?”
“Sorry,” I reply, but nothing in the tone of my voice gives the impression that I actually mean it, probably because I don’t. Between my dying mother and losing the woman I love, and now my father calling and being an asshole, I’m not exactly having a great day.
“Who was on the phone?” she asks.
“Dear old dad,” I say in a condescending tone.
“What did he want?” she asks as she gives my mother a once over.
“To make sure that I would be in court tomorrow, defending his extremely guilty client.”
Even Daphne who is beyond disapproving of my revenge plan against my father, rolls her eyes. “Did he even ask how you were?”
“Are you really asking that question seriously? No, of course not.”
She wraps her stethoscope around her neck. “You look exhausted Gray, why don’t you go home, get some rest?” Daphne suggests.
I don’t want to go home; I don’t want rest. For as much as I don’t want to leave my mother alone, I sure as hell can’t bear to be alone right now, either. Everyone I love is leaving me. For now, my mother’s still here and I plan on being by her side until she isn’t anymore.
“I’m not leaving her,” I tell Daphne.
She takes a seat by the window. “Fine. Then I’m not leaving you.” Silence hangs between us. “Do you remember the night we met?”
I’m not sure where she’s going with this. “I do.”
“I never expected things to turn out like this. I intended on being her doctor, but you, Grayson, you made me feel like part of your family,” she says.
“You are,” I tell her.
“So, as family, am I able to be honest with you?” she asks, her eyebrows raised. I shrug. “Is this worth it?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” My voice is filled with irritation.
“Your revenge plan, is it worth it? Worth losing Ashlynn?”
“Don’t start.”
“Then don’t be stupid, Gray.”
I stand from my chair, shoving it back with force.
“My mother is dying and the woman I love just fucking walked out on me. Do you really want to start this shit with me right now?”
She cocks her head to the side and stares at me.
“What?” I ask impatiently.
“You said that nothing was more important than getting back at your father, making him pay for what he did to your mother.”
“And?”
“And, even with Ashlynn knowing the truth, potentially going home to tell your father your plans, you’re not doing a damn thing about it.”
I exhale an exasperated sigh. “Your point?”
“My point, Gray, is that revenge, taking your father down, it lost its importance. You’re willing to give it all up for her.”
“If you think you’re making some big revelation, you’re wrong. I already know this. What I can’t give up on is trying to protect her from him. So, until I have what I need to do that, nothing changes.”
42
Ashlynn
My heart literally stops when Grayson enters the courtroom. I didn’t expect him to show, not with the condition his mother’s in. He may be a lot of things, but a man who would leave his dying mother’s bedside to defend a man he would much rather put behind bars he is not. Then again, what do I know? I also thought the man was in love with me and I sure as hell was wrong about that.
My mouth goes dry and I grab the glass of water in front of me, finishing it off.
“Hey,” Grayson says as he sets his notes down on the table.
I nod at him, but don’t answer. I’m at a loss for words and the nearness of him takes my breath away.
“I’m not staying, I just… I wanted to make sure you had everything you need for today,” he tells me nodding toward the folder.
He has dark circles and bags under his eyes. He looks like he hasn’t slept, which all things considered, I’m sure he hasn’t. “Thank you.”
“What you heard, it was Brayden running his mouth, and it’s not true.”
“So you didn’t come to town to destroy your father?” I whisper in a harsh tone.
“I did, I am guilty of that. What I am not guilty of is using you to do it. I love you Ashlynn.”
I want to believe the words he’s telling me, but I can’t. I don’t trust a damn word that comes out of his mouth. I can’t hide the hurt on my face, so I turn away from him. He grabs my elbow and turns me back.
“I’m going to figure this out. I’m going to make things right,” he tells me.
“You can’t.”
I wish I could believe him. I want nothing more than to do exactly that. I can’t though. My heart is broken, and despite what he’s telling me, he still hasn’t opened up to me, let me in enough to see who the real Grayson is. Without that, I don’t know that I can move on or forgive him.
“I can and I will. I just… I need your help.”
“You’re delusional if you think I’m going to help you,” I say with a laugh.
His hand still on my arm he leads me to a corner of the room. “I need the keys, from the desk.”
“Get them yourself,” I tell him yanking my arm away.
I shouldn’t care but the hurt I see in his eyes tugs at my heart strings and I want nothing more than to make it go away. It’s not real though, he’s playing me. He’s been playing me this whole time.
“Ashlynn, please,” he says. “Those keys – they’re not for the safe at home.”
“And how do you know that?” I ask as I cross my arms across my chest.
“Brayden. He felt bad for screwing things up between us, so he told me about a safe deposit box my dad has. He’s going to help me, but… we need the keys.”
“I don’t trust you Grayson. Why should I help you?”
“Because what I’m looking for – it’s not in a safe deposit box.” He glances around to make sure no one’s looking. “What I need to destroy him, he keeps that a little closer to the vest. I’m doing this for you. The photos, anything he has on you will be in that safe deposit box. I swear to you, Sweetheart.”
“I… I don’t know.”
He steps into me taking whatever breath I have left right out of me. His hands are on my biceps. “Everything between us is real. You matter more to me than anything, even getting revenge on him. I just want to – I just want to get these items for you, make sure your safe. Then I’ll leave. And if you want, you never have to see me again.”
I bit my bottom lip. “Now that, sounds like a deal I’m willing to make. If I get you that key, you leave town and you never contact me again. Understood? Or so help me God, Grayson, I will tell your father exactly what you’re up to.”
His grip on my arms loosens disbelief in his eyes. Clearly, that was not the response he was looking for. “If… if that’s what you really want.”
“It is.” I let out a sigh. “I’ll have them for you tonight.”
With a nod he says, “I’ll have Brayden get them from you.”
He gives me one last look and walks away.
My gaze follows him as he walks straight past Elliott without a word, then out of the courtroom.
“Where is Grayson going?” Elliott asks as he approaches me.
“He’s leaving,” I reply. I don’t add in that he’s leaving because of me, that I pushed him away, or that I don’t think he’s coming back. I just leave it at that.
43
Grayson
“I’ve got the keys,” Brayden says walking into my house. “Why exactly was I the one that had to meet with Ashlynn?”
“Because she made it clear that she doesn’t want to see me again,” I tell him.
I can see the look of regret in his eyes. He didn’t mean for this to happen. He was just doing what he always does, giving me shit. There was no malice, no intent to hurt me. So, I forgive him, but hell if I’m still not pissed that he’s
an idiot and ruined the best thing that ever happened to me.
“I’m sorry, Gray, I didn’t…”
“I know,” I reply. He’s apologized more times than I can count and frankly, I’m tired of hearing it.
As much as I want to place all the blame on Brayden because it’s just easier, I am just as much to blame. I should have been honest with her from the get go.
“So, this stuff you’re looking for…”
“That’s not what this is,” I tell him. “I’m done with that. This, this I’m doing for Ashlynn.”
I had made up my mind the minute she walked away, the minute I realized I had lost everything that mattered to me, for a second time. Saying the words though, feels surreal.
Brayden runs a hand through his hair. “I’m lost.”
I let out a small laugh. “Join the club. I know you think that Ashlynn being with Dad is her idea, but… it’s not. He blackmailed her into it, and I need to get what it is he has on her out of that safe deposit box to get her out from under his thumb.”
“What the hell does he have on her?” he asks.
“I can’t tell you that. I won’t do that to her.”
“That’s a lot of loyalty for a chick that dumped your ass,” Brayden says.
I shake my head at him. The eternal bachelor has no idea what it feels like to be in love with someone. Certainly no idea how it will make you do crazy shit you never thought you would. Like give up your reason for being here to protect them instead. Christ, it really does sound stupid now that she’s done with me.
My phone rings. I glance down at the screen – it’s Cooper.
“Hey Coop, what do you have for me?” I say.
“Hello to you, too, asshole,” he says in reply.“I have something you’re going to want, so you may want to be a little nicer to me.”
“I’m plenty nice to you,” I say, but fuck if I don’t give in to his ridiculous demands. “Hey, Coop, how are you?”
“I’m doing just peachy,” he says with a laugh before continuing. “I found him. Her dad I mean.”
